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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Berckes at 515-725-8391 or jeff.berckes@dnr.iowa.gov.
WAVERLY
– Iowans interested in the results of a DNR study to improve water quality in Avenue
of the Saints Lake in Bremer County can attend a meeting Aug. 9. Citizens are
encouraged to bring their questions and ideas to improve the lake to the
meeting for discussion.
Avenue
of the Saints Lake is on the state’s list of impaired waters for high levels of
algae, low water clarity, and high levels of pH. The
current study, or DNR water quality improvement plan, shows how these problems
are caused by too much phosphorus in the lake. These problems may impact
aquatic life.
The plan explores the amounts and sources of phosphorus entering
the lake and offers potential solutions to reduce those levels and work toward
fixing the problem. The document is designed as a guide for local resource
agencies, partners, stakeholders and residents to improve the lake. Staff from the DNR’s Watershed
Improvement Program will be on hand to answer questions.
The Aug.
9 meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Waverly Room at the Waverly
Public Library, 1500 W Bremer Ave. in Waverly. Those not able to attend the
public meeting can receive more information at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WaterQuality/WatershedImprovement/WatershedResearchData/WaterImprovementPlans/PublicMeetingsPlans.aspx
and submit comments on the plan by Aug. 28 via:
E-mail: jeff.berckes@dnr.iowa.gov
Mail: Jeff Berckes, care of
Iowa DNR, Wallace State Office Building, 502
E. Ninth St. Des Moines, Iowa 50319
After
gathering Iowans’ comments, the DNR will forward the final plan, also called by
its technical name of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency for approval.
MEDIA CONTACT: Lynette Seigley at 319-351-9393 or Lynette.Seigley@dnr.iowa.gov
CEDAR
RIVER – The upper stretch of the Cedar River in north-central Iowa is now 28
tons of trash lighter, thanks to the efforts of 469 volunteers.
This
July, 469 volunteers took part in the 15th annual Project AWARE, paddling 55
miles of the Cedar River through Mitchell and Floyd counties from the
Iowa-Minnesota state line to Howard’s Woods Rec Area near Nashua.
Project
AWARE, which stands for A Watershed Awareness River Expedition, is the Iowa
DNR’s volunteer river cleanup event which involves hundreds of people who spend
anywhere from one to five days exploring Iowa’s rivers and picking up trash.
"Project AWARE was such an
awesome experience and we were truly thankful to be part of it,” said Adam
Shirley, Mitchell County Conservation Board Director. “It was impressive to
watch the volunteers at work and we appreciate all of their hard work to
improve the Cedar River."
Scrap
metal was the heaviest item removed. Mitchell County Conservation and Floyd
County Conservation handled the 15 tons of scrap metal removed during the
event. Volunteers also removed 368 tires. This year, 88 percent of the trash pulled from the river was
able to be recycled.
A total
of 169 volunteers participated all five days of the event, but with some
participating single days, there were about 250 volunteers on the water each
day, ranging in age from 2 to 77. About 15 percent of this year’s participants at
the family-friendly event were under the age of 18. In addition to Iowa,
volunteers hailed from 14 other states. Fifty-one of the volunteers were from Mitchell
or Floyd counties.
“Project
AWARE provided me with the motivation to visit the upper Cedar River and all
the quaint towns that surround it. I never thought it possible that the Cedar River
could be that beautiful! It’s a gem of a river,” said Jodi Gerot, a third-year
volunteer from West Branch.
“I
didn't know anything about Mitchell or Floyd counties and really enjoyed the
scenery and the towns. I would love to go back to this area to paddle. The
river was gorgeous and well-cared for by the locals,” said Rose Danaher, an
eight-year volunteer from Amana.
Photos
from the event can be found on the Project AWARE website at www.iowadnr.gov/aware.
Event sponsors included:
Platinum Paddle Sponsors: Alliant Energy Foundation · Bridgestone’s Tires4ward
Program · Bug Soother · City of Charles City · Firestone Complete Auto Care ·
Flint Hills Resources · Floyd County Conservation · IIHR - Hydroscience & Engineering at The
University of Iowa · Iowa DNR – IOWATER, Rivers Programs · Iowa Flood
Center · Iowa Rivers Revival · ITC · Mitchell County Conservation Board · N-Compass
· State Hygienic Laboratory at The University of Iowa · Zanfel Laboratories,
Inc.
Golden Yoke Sponsors: Ansell Protective Products · Iowa Whitewater
Coalition · Rockwell Collins
Silver Stern Sponsors: Cedar Run Canoe & Kayak Rental · DuPont ·
Hy-Vee, Inc. · Nathan and Jamie Lein · Stine Seed Company · Upper Iowa
University
River Steward Sponsors: B4 Brands · Caterpillar Inc. · Cedar Springs Camp
& Retreat · Connie Struve and Bill Covington · Environmental Advocates · Hawkeye
Fly Fishing Association · Iowa Limestone Producers Association · Mitchell
County Farm Bureau · Mitchell Soil and Water Conservation District · Rapids End
Outfitters · Senator David Johnson · Snyder & Associates, Inc. · Touch the
Earth Outdoor Recreation and Education - University of Iowa · University of
Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist · University of Northern Iowa Outdoor
Recreation Zimmerman Buildings Inc.
River Rescue Sponsors: Allison Boehm · Anonymous Nature Lover · Boy Scout
Troop 242 · Butler Soil and Water Conservation District · Can Shed LLC ·
Casey’s General Stores, Inc. · Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency ·
Cedar Valley Paddlers · Central Iowa Paddlers · Charles City Family YMCA · Charles
City Immaculate Conception Parish · Charles City Senior Center · Chickasaw
County Conservation · City of Ames A.O.C. Resource Recovery System · CrawDaddy
Outdoors · Darrel and Jean Brothersen · Dean and Linda Tjaden · Des Moines Area
Community College · Don Wall · Eaton Corporation’s Community Involvement Team,
Shenandoah Plant · Environmental Professionals of Iowa Eric Boehm · Floyd County Historical Museum
· Floyd County Ikes · Floyd Lions Club · Floyd-Mitchell-Chickasaw Solid Waste
Management Authority · Fossil & Prairie Conservation Foundation · Franklin
Soil and Water Conservation District · Iowa Geological Survey · ISG · Jendro
Sanitation John and Shawnna Larison ·
Kim Watkins · Linda Appelgate · Mark Bohner · Nashua Fire Department · Nick and
Maureen Gaeta · OmniTel Communications · R Campground Inc. · Rick Dietz · Rivers
and Streams LLC · Rod, Ronnie, and Randie Brodigan · Skunk River Paddlers ·
Sqwincher/PMG · St. Ansgar Community Schools · Sunny Brae Golf Course and
Country Club · The Dental Practice · Timothy S. Fox · Tony Geerts · University
of Iowa Research Park · White Pine Group, Iowa Sierra Club · William & Joan
Kauten
Life Jacket Sponsors: Andrew & Maureen Johnson
For more information on this event, please visit www.iowadnr.gov/aware.
MEDIA CONTACT: Ed
Tormey, DNR, at 515-725-8373 or Ed.Tormey@dnr.iowa.gov.
DES MOINES – DNR staff work with individuals, businesses and
communities to help them protect our natural resources by complying with state
and federal laws. This approach is very effective. In the few cases where
compliance cannot be achieved, the DNR issues enforcement actions. The
following list summarizes recent enforcement actions. Find the entire, original
orders on DNR’s website at www.iowadnr.gov/InsideDNR/AboutDNR/EnforcementActions.aspx.
Consent Orders
A consent order is issued as an alternative to issuing an
administrative order. A consent order indicates that the DNR has voluntarily
entered into a legally enforceable agreement with the other party.
Fremont
County
City of Hamburg
Consent Amendment to Administrative Order 2007-WW-02 (Amend
compliance schedule for wastewater improvements)
Sioux
County
Jochum Agri-Services, Inc.
Ensure manure handling is done in a manner to prevent release to
a water of the state, develop and implement Standard Operating Procedure for
proper manure handling, and pay $1,500 penalty
Union
County
CHS, Inc.
Pay $10,000 penalty for violations of facility's air quality
construction and Title V operating permits
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